About us

NoVo Foundation acts from the original meaning of philanthropy: the love of humanity. The Foundation is dedicated to catalyzing a global social transformation away from current cultures of domination and their reliance on hierarchy, violence and the subordination of girls and women.

NoVo believes a new code of behavior is possible, where we are all linked and not ranked. We envision a balanced world that's governed by principles of mutual respect, collaboration and civic participation, and that our contribution is to help create the conditions for that new code to arise, and inspire others to join them. We seek pivot points in society – such as adolescent girls and local economies – where support and resources can have long-lasting and wide-ranging positive impact. We see violence against girls and women as a fundamental enforcer of oppression, and work to eradicate its presence.

The scale of these ambitions guides our investment strategies. Ours is both risk capital and patient capital; experimentation and new thinking are critical paths forward. Seeing the world as it is, and as it could be, inspires our voice. Through all of our activities we try to illuminate the possibility of a new paradigm, gather evidence of its existence and establish pathways for its manifestation. As our website states, we "are humbled and honored to contribute to building a world based on peace, compassion, justice and love."

Jennifer and Peter Buffett are the co-presidents of the Foundation and have articulated the vision and values that guide its work.